My Ex-Girlfriend Is a Zombie Queen - Chapter 7

Lu Yu did not know how she eventually fell asleep. Too many things had happened that day, and as they piled up one after another, her body finally gave out. She had drifted off while leaning against the table, lost in a hazy, fitful slumber.

When she opened her eyes, the first sliver of dawn was just beginning to touch the sky.

She instinctively reached out her hand toward the space beside her, but her fingers passed only through the still, freezing air. She remained frozen for a full thirty seconds before the reality rushed back: Ye Qianli was no longer there. Even now, she found the fact impossible to accept. Ten years, they had worked so hard for ten years to reach this point.

Her arm dropped weakly, and the dull sting of her elbow hitting the edge of the chair provided a momentary spark of clarity to her numb brain. Staggering to her feet, Lu Yu didn’t need a mirror to know how haggard she looked, yet she had no time to worry about her appearance. She rushed to grab her phone, which was now fully charged.

This time, the call wouldn’t even go through.

She slumped onto the floor, refusing to believe that the woman could truly be so heartless as to discard her. She no longer even prayed for Ye Qianli to change her mind; she simply wanted to hear her voice, even if it was only a single word.

******

After staring blankly into space for a while longer, she looked at the “99+” notifications on her WeChat and felt no desire to open any of them. Suddenly, a memory surfaced from when she first started her job. Ye Qianli had mentioned that the research institute always had staff on duty twenty-four hours a day.

“There are some very important materials there,” the woman had explained, her usual smile replaced by a rare, solemn gravity.

“How important?” Lu Yu had asked, not quite understanding. She had taken advantage of the woman’s deep thought to stand on her tiptoes and steal a kiss from the corner of her mouth, much like a cat getting into the cream. She loved seeing that specific expression of Ye Qianli’s. the one where she was clearly exasperated but utterly powerless to resist her.

Sure enough, the woman’s features had softened instantly as she pulled Lu Yu into a natural embrace. “I’ve signed a non-disclosure agreement, so I can’t reveal much. Just know that if you can’t reach me on my personal line, you can always call the office.”

Ye Qianli had warned her that she might be too busy to check her phone, but in all their time together, Lu Yu had never actually been unable to reach her. At most, the phone would ring a few extra times before being answered.

Until now.

A faint bitterness spread through her throat as she dialed the institute’s number and held the receiver close, praying for someone to pick up.

“This is the XX Research Institute. Who is calling, please?”

The voice sounded slightly familiar. After a moment of effort, Lu Yu asked tentatively, “Xiao Zhao?”

“Sister-in-law! We were just trying to get in touch with you regarding Director Ye…” The response was unexpectedly enthusiastic.

******

This was the first time Lu Yu had ever stepped inside the institute where Ye Qianli worked. Previously, she had only ever been as far as the entrance because the woman insisted she stay outside.

“There’s radiation inside, and it isn’t good for your health if you aren’t wearing a protective suit,” she would say. Lu Yu had felt a bit pouted at the time, but being coaxed with such patience always made her anger vanish. Before every parting, she would remind the woman to stay safe, and Ye Qianli would always smile and pat her head, telling her not to worry. She would never forget that tender smile; a softness that belonged to her and her alone.

“Sister-in-law, did Director Ye not go home?”

The question snapped her back to the present. Lu Yu shook her head, a wave of loneliness washing over her. “I can’t get in touch with her.”

“We were following behind her yesterday, but we lost her in the traffic after leaving the hospital…” Zhao Hui sighed, her face clouded with worry. “The project Director Ye is in charge of has reached its final, critical stage. If she isn’t here, we can’t move forward. We’re at our wits’ end.”

Hearing this, Lu Yu’s brow tightened slightly as a sense of revulsion rose within her. Yesterday at the hospital, if it hadn’t been for the fact that Ye Qianli remembered nothing, these people would have likely talked of nothing but work. Not a single word of genuine concern had been offered.

Yet, only hours ago, the woman had been wheeled out of surgery, having nearly lost her life in a horrific accident. Just remembering the agonizing wait outside those doors made Lu Yu’s chest feel tight.

“Sister-in-law, regardless of the work, Director Ye’s health is obviously the top priority. Everything else can wait,” Zhao Hui added quickly, perhaps sensing Lu Yu’s displeasure.

“Mm.”

Lu Yu turned her gaze to the walls, which were covered in cracks that revealed glimpses of metal underneath. Ever since entering, they had been walking down a dim, seemingly endless corridor. There were many locked doors on either side, and people in white coats hurried past them. Strangely, there was no talking; everyone seemed to be in a desperate rush.

Despite her heavy heart, Lu Yu glanced around and asked casually, “What kind of research do you do here exactly?”

“We mainly study major human viruses, but the specifics are confidential,” Zhao Hui replied with an apologetic smile.

Lu Yu nodded and didn’t press further. Ye Qianli never brought work materials home, so she only had a vague understanding of her partner’s profession. Since it required secrecy, she wouldn’t pry. On the contrary, she had always been glad that her lover had found a meaningful job that perfectly matched her expertise.

“This way.” At a corner, Zhao Hui pressed a switch on the wall, revealing an upward-leading passage.

Sitting in the clean, bright conference room, Lu Yu felt a sense of unreality. Moments ago, as they climbed the stairs, she had caught a glimpse of a downward passage, a pitch-black void that had sent a sudden, inexplicable shiver down her spine.

She didn’t regain her focus until a document was pushed in front of her. “What is this?”

“Director Ye signed a contract when she joined stating that she cannot be absent for more than three days while a project is active. We need your help to convince her to come back to the institute as soon as possible.”

“But she—”

Lu Yu wanted to say that Ye Qianli had lost her memory and hadn’t done this on purpose. But as her gaze swept across the two rows of security cameras on the ceiling, she swallowed her words. Ever since she sat down, she had the uncomfortable feeling of being watched.

“We are reporting the situation to the higher-ups, but given the circumstances, we need to find her first.” Zhao Hui was about to continue her persuasion when she remembered something. She pulled a check from a folder and handed it over with both hands. “We are deeply saddened by Director Lu’s situation. This is a subsidy from the institute to cover the hospital and medical expenses, sister-in-law…”

“If I hear from her, I will let you know.”

Lu Yu didn’t look closely at the check, nor did she care to count the zeros. She had seen massive sums of money back when she was with the Lu family, so it wasn’t a novelty to her. If anything was strange, it was that they were willing to give so much just to use her as a lead to find Ye Qianli.

What she found truly incomprehensible was these people’s obsession with their “project.” Their visit to the hospital seemed to have been nothing more than a check to see if she was still functional enough to work.

“If that’s all, I’ll be going.”

Zhao Hui clearly wanted her to stay longer, but seeing Lu Yu’s persistence, she didn’t argue. However, before Lu Yu could take more than two steps, the assistant slapped her own forehead.

“Look at my memory… Director Ye prepared a gift to give to you. It should still be in her office; she didn’t have time to take it. Wait a moment, I’ll go get it.”

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